A Fairy Merry Christmas
by R011ingThunder
Summary: Christmas is upon Fairy Tail and Gray Fullbuster is dreading the holiday. The holiday season meant his local stalker would be more active than usual. A few days left before Christmas. How is Gray going to handle Holiday Juvia? -E. Clarke.


Ice. As more snow began to fall, that was what Gray Fullbuster thought of: ice. As an ice-make wizard, he was used to the cold. His master, Ur, used to have them strip in the middle of the snow just so they would get used to it. But, as he watched the glittering white flakes hit the ground, he could not help but feel cold. He felt ice cold fear.

It was late December. And December meant one thing: Christmas. Normally that would be an exciting time for anyone. But it was hard to be excited when you had your own personal stalker. He knew out there somewhere, Juvia was likely out there. She was out there in the shadows…watching…waiting. It drove him mad. Christmas would be in a few days and he willing to bet anything Juvia was conniving somewhere. It wouldn't surprise him if she was outside his house right now, ready to ambush him the moment he steps out, burying him alive under an avalanche of body pillows or poisoning him with her cooking.

Gray slid on his shirt and white coat before shoving his feet into a pair of boots. He had to get to the guild and do some jobs if he wanted money. But as he stopped at the front door, a horrifying thought struck him. What if Juvia was already in his house, prepping something for him? What if she was secretly building an ice sculpture of him in his bed room to show her love?

 _"Gray, my darling! Look at this beautiful sculpture I've made for you!"_

Gray shook these nightmarish thoughts from his mind as he turned away and quickly made his way up the stairs and into his room. If she did make an ice sculpture for him he would need to get rid of it before it melts all over his mattress. But, fortunately, his bedroom was free of water mages. He quickly swept through his house, checking every corner to make sure it was Lockser-free. Luckily, it was.

Gray gave a relieved sigh and stepped out of the house. Most would be chilled by the winter wind blowing across their skin. But, to Gray, this was no different than a summer breeze. He kept his gaze on the glittering particles crunching beneath his feet as he thought about what has happened so far. The guild was already prepping for the holidays. It was certainly the most exciting time of the year but mostly for the wrong reasons. Just yesterday, he and Natsu had to clean the bell in the church. It was great at first…until Natsu got the brilliant idea to try to burn all the grime off the metal surface. Gray tried to put out the ensuing fire that enveloped the bell tower but ended up enveloping the entire thing in a block of ice. Then they had to fix the entire tower under the watchful eye of Erza Scarlet.

He brushed off the memory. Hopefully it was smooth sailing from here.

What was he talking about? Juvia Lockser was somewhere out there planning something for him. It would be anything but smooth sailing.

He nonchalantly entered the guild hall, his hands in his pockets. Guess he shouldn't be surprised that Natsu was already wrecking the place. He was brawling with some guildmates, demolishing several tables in the process. Erza was at the bar, eating her strawberry cake, trying her best to ignore the ruckus behind her. Lucy was also there, clearly praying she wouldn't get hit by flying debris as Natsu slammed Gajeel into a wooden table.

"Real men don't use tables!" Elfman roared before swiftly eating a flying kick that sent him flying. Lisanna standing on the sidelines, laughing and cheering on the brawl.

Fullbuster took a seat at the bar. He could tell Mira was already busy decorating the guild hall with linen and Christmas ornaments. Lights lined the back of the bar, hanging over Christmas wreaths and red ribbons.

"Good morning, Gray," Mira said with a bright smile. It seemed like everyone was ready for the holidays. Even Mira had traded her black dress for a red one. It was the same design but it had fur lining the edges instead of just lace. "Would you like me to get you anything?" Gray glanced back as the ruckus suddenly stopped. It was if someone and yanked the power chord. Gajeel was back at a table with Levy while Natsu plopped himself in a chair and was suddenly asleep.

"Is that going to be a problem?" Gray asked, looking smashed wood. Mira just shrugged with a beaming smile.

"Nothing a little maintenance can't fix," she remarked. A little maintenance? It looked like a meteor had just hit the ground.

"Hey," Gray hissed as a more pressing matter entered his mind. "Has Juvia come by today?"

"Not yet," Mirajane replied, taking a glass from the shelf and wiping it down. "I think she said she was busy with a project."

Gray stiffened at this. What could she be planning?

"Hey, Gray, what's that above your head?" Lucy suddenly asked. Gray shot back from his chair like a shotgun, the stool tumbling over as he leapt his feet looked up. He could only think of one thing that he could be sitting under.

 _"Gray, my darling. We're sitting under the mistletoe together! It must be fate!"_

"Oh, that?" Mira remarked, glancing at the snow-white orb hanging above where Gray used to be sitting. "We obviously can't have real snow falling inside the guild so I made these lacrima that could sprinkle down fake snow."

Lucy glanced down at Gray, who began picking himself up the floor, his face red with embarrassment.

"What's up with you?" she asked with her hands on her hips. Gray quickly looked around. It seems that more than a few people noticed. At least Natsu was too busy snoring the day away. Well, he wouldn't be snoring much longer; Lisanna was already taking advantage of Natu's slumbering form as she began putting braids in his hair.

"You afraid of something, Gray?" Lucy asked as the ice-make wizard got up and sat down on the chair again.

"You haven't seen Juvia around today, have you?" he whispered to Lucy Heartfilia. The moment he said this, a mischievous smile spread across her face.

"You plan on getting something for her?" she snickered.

"It's not like that!" Gray immediately retorted, looking around to make sure a certain someone wasn't in listening range. He could already imagine Juvia's response if she had heard Lucy.

 _"Gray, you plan on getting something for me?! My darling, you are too kind."_

"Gray's in _love!_ " a familiar high pitched voice said.

"Get outta here, Happy!" Gray barked at the blue flying cat who quickly took off to the second floor with fresh fish in his paws.

"Aw, c'mon, Gray," Lucy snickered. "You know she into you."

"And what about _you_?" Gray asked, swiftly changing the subject. "You get a present for any special someone's for Christmas?" Lucy stuck her hands in the pockets of her fuzzy white coat as she took a moment to think. Her luck with men had always been terrible.

"Yeah, if I did date someone, it'll probably not be anyone from the guild," she said.

"C'mon, Lucy," Mira remarked with a wink. "There are plenty of guys in this guild you could ask out. Gajeel's a big, strong individual."

"Already taken by Levy."

"How 'bout Warren?"

"How 'bout 'no'?"

"Bickslow?"

"Ick!"

"Natsu?"

Lucy immediately turned the other way.

"I'd be lucky to get rid of Natsu for a day," she grumbled.

 _"Natsu, what the hell are you doing in my tub?!"_

 _"What? Were you going to use it?"_

 _"Not while you're in there!"_

"Let's just leave Natsu out of this," she groaned.

"Alright, who's next?!" a voice roared. They both looked back in time to see Salamander leap to his feet, fire in his fists.

"That might be a problem," Gray remarked as he watched Natsu get ready for a fight. The boy always did seem to be everywhere at once, much to Gray's annoyance. "Natsu, you mind cooling it for once?!"

Natsu immediately turned his attention to the ice wizard.

"You got something to say, Frosty?" he barked. "C'mon, show me what you got!" Gray didn't even bother getting up. As far as he was concerned, he already won this fight.

"Kinda hard to be threatening when you look like that," Gray pointed out, leaning back against the bar counter. Natsu could immediately tell something was up. Lucy quickly handed him a mirror, letting him look at his own reflection and see the cornfield braids that now lined his head.

"You do this, ice boy?!" he roared.

" _Please_ ," Gray huffed. "Point your finger at the girl behind you." Natsu glanced behind him to find Lisanna dying with laughter at table. Natsu gave a grumble as he reached up to try to undo his hair.

"You mean that punk pyro only has a problem when I do it?!" Gray roared. The crack of two skulls smashing against each other echoed through the hall.

"Got a problem with that?!" Natsu growled.

"So what if I do?" Gray growled. Lucy could only turn away and sigh. It looks like they were about to have at it. She could already hear them throwing down. She was just about to get back to the counter when a boom like a cannon rocked the guild hall, a giant puff of smoke exploding outwards.

"What the?!" Natsu stuttered as the smoke cleared. Gray had seemingly vanished. "Where'd he go?" Lucy was equally confused, looking around. It seemed like Gray had taken off like a rocket.

"Hey, Lucy," a friendly voice greeted. Lucy turned around to spot Juvia walking into the guild. She closed the door behind her with a click, letting a few puffs of snow inside. She brushed off the white powder from her dark blue coat before straightening her floppy hat.

"Oh, hey girl!" Lucy welcomed. "You haven't been around lately."

Juvia gave a bright smile as she walked over to the giant Christmas tree and set a paper bag down.

"Been really busy," she replied. "Thanks for the sewing kit. It really helped out with my project."

"Eh, don't worry about it," Lucy replied with a shrug. "You gonna stick around?"

"Not today. I have a few things to finish before Christmas. I might be back later, though."

Juvia gave a cheery smile before turning going back out through the door, another gust of snow blowing through. With the guild hall clear once more, Natsu was back at looking for Gray.

"Now where did Frosty run off to?" he said looking around. He was about to pick up a table to look under it when a drop of ice cold water dripped onto his head. He looked up, spotting Gray hanging from the rafters, his limbs frozen to the wood beam so he wouldn't fall. His face was whiter than snow at the thought of what Juvia could be making.

 _"Oh my sweetheart, I've painted this portrait of us during our upcoming wedding!"_

With a wave of his hand the ice turned into water and Gray fell from the ceiling, landing on his feet.

"Running from our fight?" Natsu barked.

"Like I would ever run from you," Gray snapped.

"You that worried about Juvia?" Lucy asked. She knew the girl grated Gray's nerves with her antics but this was a new extreme.

"Just a few more days," he mumbled. "I just need to keep busy for a few more days." He glanced at the board, an idea hitting his head like a hammer. "Hey, why don't we go on a job?"

"Something very far away," Natsu and Lucy said at the same time. Gray gave the two a confused look. He was just planning to hide from Juvia. He certainly didn't expect these two to have plans of their own.

"A job?" Erza repeated from her seat, pushing back the now empty plate and standing. "Now's not the time for work. It's time to spend time with loved ones and enjoy yourself." Gray watched as Erza's normally serious expression soften as she suddenly smiled like a teenage girl on her birthday. The scarlet haired witch may have been stone cold serious under normal conditions but during the holidays that all washed away like rain on a hot forge.

"Alright," Natsu said, folding his arms. "It's back to plan A. Lucy, I'm gonna need some help from Virgo."

"Virgo?" Lucy repeated. "What do you need her for? You aren't still looking for that stupid buried time capsule, are you?"

"Nah," Natsu answered dismissively. "There's a type of rock that I need so I was hoping Virgo would go and find it for me."

Lucy put her hand to her face in disbelief. Somehow she wasn't surprised Natsu was looking for something that stupid.

"And what rock are you looking for?" she groaned.

"I'm looking for diamonds. What else?"

"Natsu, my celestial spirits aren't miners and finding diamonds isn't that easy. If it was, don't you think I would've had them do it already instead of paying my rent late again?"

As if right on cue, Happy hovered down with a smirk.

"I see, Lucy," he called out. "So you're against making your spirits do physical labor unless you can earn money from it"

"Butt out, cat!" Lucy barked. Happy flew back into the rafter giggling. Lucy let out an annoyed sigh and turned back to Salamander. "Sorry, Natsu, but you aren't gonna find any diamonds by having Virgo drilling through the ground all day?"

Natsu plopped down on the top of a table, his hand to his chin thoughtfully.

"If I can't do diamonds, maybe I can some other rock," he muttered to himself.

"Well, clearly Natsu has something planned," Gray commented. "What about you, Erza? You have any plans for Christmas?"

A smile spread across Erza's face as she reached into her armor and whipped out a piece of paper with something scribbled on it. Gray, Lucy, and Natsu leaned in to try to figure out what was drawn on it. It looked like a disfigured blob man with fuzzies lining his shoulders, chest, and thighs.

"Wow…that looks…nice…" Lucy managed to force herself to say. She did not want to be on the receiving end of Erza's wrath by telling her the truth.

"It's a new armor design with a Christmas theme!" she said proudly. "I have everything planned out. I just need to get the pieces and put it all together! I was told it wasn't that hard to sew this stuff together."

Lucy gave Titania an unenthusiastic thumb up. She had more faith in Erza's drawing ability than Erza's sewing abilities.

"Well, if it gets the job done," Natsu commented lackadaisically.

"You know," Erza chirped up. "It seems that we all have plans for Christmas. Perhaps we can head out for a last shopping spree!"

"Erza, that's a great idea!" Lucy immediately cheered.

"Alright!" Natsu agreed. "I'm all fired up for this trip! Coming, Happy?!" Immediately, the blue cat descended from the ceiling.

"Aye, sir!" he called out. The four of them headed for the door of the hall, stopping only when they realized Gray wasn't following.

"Gray, you coming or what?" Lucy called back. Initially, Gray thought heading out like that would be a bad idea. He was trying to avoid Juvia, not run into her on the road. But the guild hall is the most likely place for her to show up.

"Alright, coming," he said, walking out with his hands in his pockets. The moment his boots touched the snow, he froze and looked around. Coast was clear.

"Something wrong?" Erza's stone cold voice asked. Gray wasn't a water wizard but you wouldn't be able to tell that from the sheer amount of sweat that poured down his face when Erza asked this. She had been pushing him to settle things between him and Juvia. The last thing Titania was going to want to hear was him doing everything in his power to avoid her.

"It's nothing, Erza," he laughed nervously. Before she said anything, he quickly ran to catch up with the group. "So, we going shopping or what?"

The first place they hit was the crafts store. Erza was intent on buying the necessary materials to make her new suit. Gray was actually busy looking at a mannequin dressed as Santa when he spotted someone out of the corner of his eye.

It couldn't be…

It was…

He looked around desperately for a place to hide. He could dash to the end of the isle but he would be too obvious if he ran. And he couldn't sneak; it would take too much time. There was nowhere for him to hide. Looks like he had no choice.

Juvia was humming cheerfully, her hands on her purse, as she walked past a naked mannequin and a very thin prop of Santa Claus. She walked up to the counter and placed the small bundle of cloth she intended on purchasing. One quick transaction later and she was out the door with her gray cloth in a bag.

Gray Fullbuster gave a relieved sigh, finally moving. This Santa outfit was making him itch. At least he dodged the bullet. Of course, there was something else he had to worry about.

Natsu's and Happy's laughter filled the store as they stared at the dressed-up Gray. Even Erza and Lucy were staring.

"I must say, Gray," Erza remarked. "This is the first time I've ever seen you put on more clothes." Natsu was practically on the floor, keeling over from laughter.

"Laugh it up, flame brain," Gray barked, tearing off the beard and hat. "You guys finished?"

Erza held up her bag, red velvet and white fluff pouring out.

"Onto the next store," she said with a smile.

The next store was a jewelry store. Natsu's idea. He kept showing Happy all these pearl rings and necklaces, asking for the exceed's opinion. But, after an entire hour, they left empty handed.

"You spend all that time looking at jewelry and you didn't even bother buying one?!" Gray exclaimed as they left. It was Lucy's turn and she just went to a nearby sports store and picked up a pair of ice skates.

"Not much but these should work," she remarked with a wink.

"Alright, Gray," Erza said as they stepped outside again. "Is there anything you want to buy."

Holy Water. Gray needed Holy Water; the water devil was after him.

"Nah," he said with a shrug. He was about to walk off when he spotted a familiar figure walking in their direction. "Though," he stuttered. "We could try out the local bakery." He didn't even wait for the rest of them to respond before waltzing off in the opposite direction as Juvia walked past. She had one more thing to pick up.

As it turned out, the bakery was a bust. Gray had no idea what to buy.

"Too bad they don't have any fish cake," Happy said sadly. "I still don't know what to get Carla."

The day certainly was a busy one. Natsu tried a flower shop but, once again, left empty handed.

"Natsu, if you're really having that much trouble, then go to a place that gives you inspiration," Lucy suggested, partially in irritation. "Try the East Forest on Christmas day."

"The East Forest?" Natsu questioned. "Why there?"

"Just do it, Flame-Brain."

Lucy took the group to Akane Resort and bought two tickets reserved for Christmas Day.

"They turned the beach into winter wonderland and I hear they're doing fireworks on Christmas night," Lucy explained.

After a long day of shopping, they didn't even bother checking back at the guild hall. Bags in hand, they all decided to head home.

-.-

The cold winter wind whistled through the air, the moon lighting the town with its eerie glow. The moment the ice-make wizard reached his doorstep, Gray knelt down to check the snow. He had to make sure there weren't any shoe prints or signs of anyone intent on entering. But, it seemed like the only prints were the ones he left in the morning, which had already been partially covered by snow so that only a weak imprint was left. He got back to his feet but just as he reached for his door knob, he whipped around.

"Who's there?!" he demanded. He could have sworn he just heard giggling from the alleyway behind him. But, he could see nothing. The uncanny shadows cast by the moon certainly weren't helping either. Gray stood there for a moment, making sure the coast was clear. Nothing happened. He let out a tired groan, turning back around. He was getting paranoid.

He reached for the door knob. But before his hands gripped the metal handle, he froze. That handle had changed. It was no longer a door knob but a face. Juvia's face.

"DARLING!"

Gray hurled himself backwards in shock. He sat back up, his eyes transfixed on the face. But it wasn't a face. It was just a door knob. Gray picked himself up and close examined the door. It certainly didn't seem cursed or anything. He must've just been hallucinating.

Giving a sigh of relief, he stepped into the house, kicking the snow off his boots at the welcome mat. Now that he was back in the confines of his own house, he quickly shed all his clothes minus his boxers. He felt way more at home like this. Seemed strange to others but this had become second nature to him.

It was late and he really didn't feel like doing anything. It was time to hit the bunk. But as he made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth, he paused. Something about his home felt…off. He was alone. Right? Then why did it feel like he was being watched? It felt like there was someone in this house with him, watching him in the darkness.

Gray shook it off. He couldn't let these thoughts take hold. Though, when he was brushing his teeth, he would swear he could smell freshly baked cookies and hear giggling in his kitchen. He quickly checked it out but, once again, found nothing. Groaning in irritation, he went back to the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth. He rinsed his mouth out with water and looked up at the mirror. The bags under his eyes were all too obvious now. But, staring at the mirror, he noticed something else. He noticed a face peeking through the ajar door of his bathroom, peeking at him. He noticed Juvia's face peeking at him. He gave a yelp and whipped around but nothing was there.

His heart racing in his chest, he carefully opened the door and peeked into the dark hallway. No one was there. Gray hesitantly made his way to the bedroom, afraid to see a very specific face in the dark the moment he rounded a corner. Slowly but surely, he made it to his room.

Gray practically fell onto his bed. Just a few more days until Christmas then it was all over.

That night, Gray was just laying there, staring at the ceiling. If he was so tired then why couldn't he sleep. He just rolled over, trying to find a comfortable spot as he thought about the past few days. He was lost in his sea of his own thoughts when he heard a creak coming from the door. He rolled over again, turning to face the source of the sound. He felt a chill as he realized that the bedroom door that he had closed was now wide open. He would've gotten up to check it out but then he felt something. He felt his mattress shake. Gray looked down. Half of him thought he must've imagined it. But then it happened again. The mattress shook. He watched as the blankets at the end of his bed rose up, letting something under them.

"What the…" he stuttered, sitting up slightly. Something was at the end of his bed, climbing under the blankets up to him. He could feel it crawling up his body, the lump under his sheets getting ever closer until it finally reached his chest. He lifted his blanket, his eyes widening at the pair of eyes staring back in the dark.

"Juvia?!" he stuttered when he recognized the face.

"Gray, my love!" she squealed. "Let's cuddle!" There was no hesitation. Gray leapt out of the bed. But the moment his feet touched the ground, he felt a hand reach out and grab his ankle. He looked down to see Juvia under his bed, a firm hold on his left foot.

"Gray, my darling!" she cried out. Gray took off down the hall screaming. He had to get out of the house. The nearest escape was the window. He would jump out and make a break for it. He was just about to when he spotted a figure floating outside in the dark of the night, holding a tiny box in its hands.

"Darling, will you marry me?!"

Gray turned and bolted the other direction. He was going to have to leave through the front door. He leapt down the stairs but as he hit the ground, he could hear rustling in the kitchen.

"Would you like breakfast?" Juvia giggled, holding out a baking sheet filled with cookies made with his image. He let out a shriek and ran for the door. He was fumbling with the door knob when he felt a set of arms wrap around him.

"Gray, you look cold, hon. Take this Juvi blanket to keep you warm."

Gray tore the door open and leapt out. But his excitement was short lived as he leapt into a set of arms. Not just one set. Several.

"Gray!" all the Juvias around him squealed. Gray screamed as he was smothered by the overwhelming tide of Juvias. He bolted up in his bed, his eyes wide. He looked around, tossing his covers off.

He was in his bed. He was in hid bedroom. He was alone. The door to his room was still closed. There was no one under his blankets. At least he didn't feel anyone under his blankets. He lifted them up to double check. It was clear.

When he saw there was no Juvia under them, he began to relax. It was all just a nightmare. He sat back. The moonlight was coming through the windows. There were still a few more hours until the morning. And the rest of the night should be water-mage free.

-.-

As he made his way into the guild in the morning, the place was even more furnished than before. About a dozen of the white fake snow lacrima hung from the ceiling. The lights in the bar were turned off, the source of light coming from candles that Mira had arranged.

"Remember, Natsu," Gray could hear Mira saying. "These candles are not for eating."

"Why would I eat a candle?" Natsu asked.

"She doesn't mean the candle, dumbass," Gray retorted, taking a seat at the bar. "She means the flames on the candle. How'd you get the extra decorations up?"

Before she could answer, Lisanna came out of the back room.

"Oh, I helped her," she said, having heard the conversation from the back room. She slid Happy, who was sitting on the counter next to Natsu, a platter of fresh fish. The blue cat eagerly tore into his meal.

"Lisanna's been putting up some of the higher decorations since her animal souls can let her fly and Laxus volunteered to get the extra supplies," Mira explained.

"Really?" Natsu stuttered, a smile creeping on his face. "Laxus is now your errand boy?"

"So, Natsu, I hear that you're desperately trying to get someone a special Christmas gift," Lisanna teased, leaning on the counter. Natsu just grumbled at this.

"I'm not good at this stuff," he muttered.

"Tell me about it," Gray huffed. "We spent on hour in a jewelry store and you couldn't think of anything to buy."

"Oh!" Happy suddenly chirped up, a light bulb going off in his head. "Maybe we can ask Levy to make us diamond with her solid script." Natsu thought about the prospect for a moment. It seemed good except for one thing.

"I'm also pretty sure that diamond would be in the shape of the word 'diamond'," he pointed out.

"Maybe she's not a diamond person," Lisanna pointed out.

"She?" Natsu repeated. "What makes you think I'm getting it for a chick?"

"Cuz you don't get diamonds for guys, you dummy," Lisanna smirked, exchanging glances with Happy. They were both thinking the same thing.

"He's in _love_ ," Happy sang.

"You know, it's not as funny as when you do it to Lucy," Natsu said flatly.

"You know you could get her something else," Lisanna suggested. "You don't have to get her the most expensive thing to show someone they matter to you. Sometimes the best gift is simply something that means the most to them, one that is close to their heart."

Gray could see the cogs in Natu's head turning. Natsu was normally so destructive it was almost odd seeing him trying to do something like this for someone. Then again, having a Natsu Dragneel capable of thinking was an aberration far scarier than the normal one.

Gray glanced at the menu behind the bar. Guess he might as well order something while he was here.

The sound of the guild door echoed the chamber. The ice cold air of winter poured inside through the opening. The bang of the door slamming shut soon followed, trapping the cold air outside.

Gray looked behind him to see Laxus marching in with a box on his left shoulder. The winter wind had his long coat flapping in the breeze like a cape. Can't the guy wear it like a normal person?

"Here's the last of the stuff you asked for," Laxus Dreyer said, setting the box on the counter. Mira gave Laxus a glowing smile but the blonde didn't have any reaction at all. He suddenly glanced at Gray…then down.

"Man, what's with your chair?" he asked. Gray's eyes widened in horror as a scene of Tenrou Island flashed in his mind, a scene of Juvia secretly swiping his chair so he would sit on her instead.

 _"Gray, my love, for Christmas I shall be your chair!"_

Gray gave a panicked yelp and dove over the bar counter, leaving Laux, Mira, Natsu, Lisanna, and Happy staring in confusion.

"What's the deal?" Laxus asked, putting his hands in his pockets. "You're chair's just a Christmas tree."

Gray looked back over the counter. It was true. While it still kept the flat top that made it possible to sit on, the legs had been replaced with a small but fully decorated Christmas tree.

"Oh, I thought those would be a nice touch to the guild hall," Mira said. "Thanks for all the extra help, Laxus."

Laxus just gave a huff and looked the other way.

"With this out of the way, I guess everything is all set for tomorrow then," he said. "Though, I think we're gonna need to get more beer." Mira knew what he was talking about. A few chairs down, Cana was guzzling alcohol at a higher rate than normal. Already a stack of empty kegs had begun to pile.

"I'm just fine, you guys!" Cana managed to blurt out, barely able to stop herself from falling over.

"Cleanup on isle five," Macao and Wakaba groaned, knowing someone was going to have to move all the empty kegs out of the guild hall.

"She's just a little lonely," Mira sighed. "Makarov is visiting Porlyusica so she doesn't really have anyone to hang with for Christmas."

Alone. Gray wished he could be alone. It seemed Cana's problem and his were exact opposites.

"Uh…Gray," Lisanna said. "You just gonna stay behind the counter?" It was then Gray realized where he was standing. In a single leap, he vaulted over the counter and back into his chair.

"So you done buying your Christmas gifts, Gray?" Mira asked with a wink.

"Yeah, we finished Christmas shopping for our team a while back," Gray said. "Don't know what the rest of them are doing." He glanced at Natsu, who was practically yanking his hair screaming, "This sucks! I don't know what to buy!" Gray had no clue who Natsu was so desperate to buy a gift for. Erza really wanted to finish that new Christmas armor for some reason. And Lucy's plans were obvious with those tickets to Akane Resort. "What about your family?"

"All that's left is Elfman" Mira explained. "He might've gotten into a fight with Evergreen." Gray chuckled at the thought. No one ever foresaw how Elfman's relation with Evergreen would grow after Tenrou.

"They'll be fine," Lisanna remarked. "It's normal for couples to fight."

"We're not a couple!" Elfman roared from across the room. Mira giggled at this comment. Even now he would insist that nothing was going on between them.

"Sometimes time apart is the best way for two people to realize how much they mean to each other," Lisanna added, giving wink to Mira and Laxus.

"Yeah, whatever," Laxus sighed, turning and walking away. Gray knew that Mira and Laxus had a brief fling before Lisanna 'died' but he didn't know about the details. At least the two of them were sane.

"Aw, don't worry," Mira said putting her hand on Gray's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll get over your Juvi-phobia soon." Gray just grumbled as Natsu kept losing his mind beside him.

"I can't think of anything!" the pink-haired boy exclaimed.

"Can you think a bit more quietly?" Gray asked in irritation. He looked back at the menu behind the bar. He was about to order something when a single line sent chills down his spine.

"Oh, hey Juvia!" Mira called out. Gray's eyes widened in horror. Mira was looking right past him. Gray quickly glanced at the front door. Juvia was already inside. He couldn't launch himself to the ceiling like before; the commotion would instantly attract her attention. He had to think of something and think fast. She was about to spot him. He had no choice. Gray leapt back over the counter. In a single motion he dove over the counter and hit the wood on the floor with a thunk.

Juvia was humming cheerfully as she walked up to the bar, taking a seat where Gray used to be.

"Morning, Juvia," Mira said with a smile as Juvia sat down. Juvia returned the bright smile.

"Could you just get me the usual, Mira?" Juvia asked.

"Coming right up."

Mira quickly got to work making the peppermint matcha latte.

"So, Juvia," Lisanna said. "I hear that last week you and Gajeel finished a job involving fighting a dark guild in the south."

"Oh, yes," Juvia answered cheerfully. "The guild master was a wizard who could turn his body into iron so I let Gajeel handle him."

"He didn't eat him, did he?" Lisanna asked fearfully. Made of iron or not, the idea of eating another person seemed disturbing to her.

"No, nothing so extreme," Juvia laughed. "Though I thought he did when I came back and found him wiping his lips."

"Iron wizard versus iron dragon slayer," Natsu remarked with a smile. "Bet he was a hard counter to that guy." Gray was gritting his teeth in frustration. Of course Natsu had to mention the word 'counter'. The moment he gets free he's gonna kill that hot head.

"I guess I should've figured since dragon slayers are strong against their own element," Juvia said as Mira handed the water mage her latte. "You three ready for tomorrow?"

Smiles immediately spread around like an infection.

"You bet!" cheered Lisanna.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu echoed. While they were talking, Gray was taking the moment to plan his next move. He could try to crawl away but he was afraid Juvia might hear him crawling across the wood floor. One creaky board was all it took. Even if she didn't, there was a good chance she was see him sneaking away the moment he lost his cover. No. The best course of action was to stay until Juvia left.

"I wouldn't get too excited Natsu," Happy remarked. "You still have to get a present for one more person."

"Eh, I'll figure it out later," Natsu replied lazily. "No need for me to be over the top about it."

"Natsu, I'm going to freeze your mouth closed," Gray growled from under the counter. One wrong word and Juvia might figure out that he had vaulted over the top of the counter to hide.

"I hear Gajeel bought a present for you," Mira said, going back to organizing the shelves. "You know, I think you two would be cute together." Everyone could practically see the hearts radiating from Mirajane's smiles.

"We're old friends but everyone knows he has a thing for Levy," Juvia pointed out.

"You know," Lisanna said mischievously. "When you get the chance, tell Levy a little birdy told you that he spent the last two days traveling to get a present for her. Apparently, he found some note on the floor that had the name of a book Levy really wanted."

"Did it happen to be a green bird with pink wings?" Happy teased. He remembered Lisanna's animal forms all too well.

"If that's the case I think everyone's just about set for tomorrow, minus Natsu," Mira said happily.

"Actually," Juvia corrected. "There is one more thing I need to finish."

Gray could feel the chill in his bones. It was the present for him. He was sure of it. He could just imagine what it could possibly be.

 _"Gray, I've made this backrest pillow with my image so you'll always be in my arms! And I've made one with you so I'll always be in yours!"_

"Speaking of which," Juvia continued. "Have any of you seen my darling Gray at all today?" Gray Fullbuster seized up at the mention of his name. He had one more day to go. He had to hold out for one more day.

"Eh, he's probably hiding somewhere," Natsu answered. "He better be ready next time cuz he's hitting the floor when I see him!" Natsu's fists went up in flames as the dragon slayer eagerly thought of their next match. Gray's fists clenched, grabbing a metal baking sheet, frost quickly forming over its surface as he turned it as cold as possible.

"Well, I guess I shall be off," Juvia said, finishing the rest of her drink. "I'd like to finish this gift before tomorrow." She gave a bright cheer before turning and walking off. "I'll see you tomorrow you guys." Mira gave an enthusiastic wave as Juvia left, the bang of the door closing echoing through the guild hall.

Certain the coast was clear, Gray slowly rose to his feet.

"Hey, how's the floor?" Natsu sneered. Gray didn't answer. Instead he smashed the metal baking sheet against Natsu's face, holding it there for a moment before stepping back. Happy, Lisanna, and Mira were gaping at what happened in shock. Natsu carefully plucked the baking sheet from his face but soon ran into a new problem. He had barely finished his sentence when Gray shoved the frozen sheet of metal into his face and now his tongue was plastered right to it. Natsu tried to pull the baking sheet off but it barely got a few inches before his tongue pulled it back. Gray didn't say anything as he walked off with his hands in his pockets.

"Wa de aye doo (What did I do)?" Natsu tried to say in annoyance, his sentence distorted by the tongue being held out of his mouth. He looked at Mira and Lisanna. "Eh eww elp ere (A little help here)?"

-.-

Today was the day. It was zero hour, the day he dreaded the most. One wrong move could bring about the apocalypse. Gray made his way to the Fairy Tail guild hall. This is the time they all exchanged gifts. He could only pray things go off without a hitch.

Mira really had outdone herself. White orbs from the ceiling sprinkled fake snow upon everyone. Everyone sat on Christmas tree chairs, talking happily. There was no hesitation. People were already tearing into the presents. The Connels were on the far end of the guild with Asca, showing her what they got. Wakaba was chuckling at the new pack of tobacco Macao got him.

"Now this is a manly gift!" Elfman proclaimed, holding up a huge dumbbell in his hand. Across the room Lucy was presenting Erza a strawberry cake she had made.

"Aw, Lucy!" Erza squealed happily, her face turning red with excitement. "You shouldn't have!" Lucy was busier looking at the array of strawberry cakes everyone else had gotten her.

"You're right…" she stuttered, realizing that Erza got the exact same thing from everyone. "I shouldn't have." Her mind began racing over what she could've gotten instead.

"Ridiculous. You can never have too much strawberry cake."

Erza wrapped her arms around the celestial wizard, squashing Lucy's face against her metal cuirass.

It came as a surprise to no one that Cana received six pack after six pack. Mira was getting all sorts of new equipment. She didn't care if it was as simple as a magically powered egg beater; she loved every piece of it.

"Hey, Mira," Lisanna called as she looked up from her gifts. "Do you have any idea where Natsu went?"

"I actually don't know," she said. "He came by the guild and took off."

"I think he's in the East Forest," Lucy said, having heard the conversation. "If you want to meet up with him you should probably head there." Lisanna raised a curious eyebrow at this statement. Unless he was thinking of getting a Christmas tree for his house she couldn't think of why he would want to go there.

As everyone continued unwrapping their presents, the lights all across the guild dimmed as the spotlights on the stage turned on. Eyes went wide as they saw Gajeel, dressed back up in his white tux, in a seat with a guitar in his hand.

"Merry Christmas everybody," he said through a lacrima microphone. "For the holidays, wrote a tune I like to call _Best Friend_. Wanna hear it?"

"NO!" mages around the guild roared. Gajeel didn't listen though as he proceeded with his song.

Gray proceeded to open some of his gifts. He knew he was a bit harder to get a gift for so he didn't really care what he got. It seemed ironic most of the presents he opened contained clothes of some sort.

It was time. He knew which one it was. With its sky blue ribbon and dark blue wrap, he didn't even need to read the tag to tell it was from Juvia. The hearts surrounding his name also gave it away. But, it was the last gift left. All that was left to do was open. He gave a sigh and proceeded to remove the ribbon, imagining what it could possibly be. Juvia was the one person he hasn't seen yet so he wouldn't be surprised if it was a container holding her in water form.

As he pulled the wrapping paper off, there was almost a sense of relief to see it be a cardboard box.

 _"Ice make blade."_

Gray carefully cut the packaging tape with his ice blade. Moment of truth. He opened the box…and stopped. And the ice wizard felt cold. His hands reached into the box, unable to believe his eyes. He had to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

It was Ur's jacket.

But that was impossible. Iced Shell's caster's clothes vanish with the caster. But there was no mistake about it. It was Ur's jacket. Picking it up and looking at it closely, it wasn't exactly Ur's jacket. It was shaped and sized for a young man, not a full-grown woman. As he took it out of the box he noticed a folded piece of paper at the bottom of the box. Gray picked the little paper up, his eyes reading what was scribbled on it.

 _"My Darling Gray,_

 _I hope this present finds you well. I couldn't think of what I should get you. But then I saw a picture of your master, Ur. I know how much she meant to you so I remade the jacket she was always seen wearing. I thought it would be a good way to always keep her close._

 _I know you've been avoiding me for the last few days. I know I can be a handful. A girl does crazy things when she's in love. And a girl can be a bit crazy when she's desperate for something to work for once in her life. Thank you for putting up with me and everything that I am. I can't promise that I'll ever change but I'll always want you to be happy._

 _Juvia"_

-.-

"Well, if anyone still wants to hold an intelligent conversation, better do it now," Wakaba teased as Cana prepped her first keg of beer. She was so focused on guzzling it down that she didn't even notice the guild hall door open, a hooded cloaked figure walking in.

One barrel down. Cana wiped her mouth with her arms as she prepped the next. She effortlessly popped the lid off the top and began pouring the keg's contents down her throat.

"You're quite the drinker. Mind if I join you."

Cana froze stiffer than an ice statue. She recognized that voice. She lowered the barrel. It couldn't be. But she wasn't drunk yet so her eyes could not deceive her.

"Dad?" she breathed. Gildarts gave a wide hearty smile. "Dad, what're you doing here?"

"What?" Gildarts chuckled, pretending to be offended by the question. "Can't a father spend Christmas with his girl?"

"Yeah, but I thought you were on a job."

Gildarts was always so cheerful and laid back; it was odd to see his face turn somber.

"Cana, sweetheart, if there is one thing in life that I regret, it's not being part of your life and seeing you grow up. I know I can't make up for lost time, but I can at least spend a Christmas with my own daughter." Gildarts reached over and grabbed a pair of empty mugs. It wasn't as fast as Cana's chugging but he always preferred enjoying the flavor.

"I'm gonna have to apologize ahead of time," he said, picking up a beer bottle and pouring into the mugs. "I was in such a rush that kinda forgot to pick up a gift."

Clive had just barely finished filling the mugs when he suddenly felt Cana's arms wrap around him. He seized up, not sure how to react. He was usually the one being grabby; it was odd seeing her give the hug. But her sentence was all he needed to hear.

"Having you back is the best Christmas gift."

Gildarts gave a weak smile, running his fingers through is daughter's hair. A man of his age, he's had plenty of regrets. At least he can make up for some of them.

-.-

If there's one thing Happy was sure: the people in the East are way better at prepping fish than people in Fiore. They actually serve some fish raw. Happy was diving into some of the sushi he had been given, devouring it as fast as possible.

"Eh…Happy?"

The blue cat immediately sat up straight. He knew that voice. It belonged to the love of his life.

"Carla!" he squealed gleefully. The snow white cat looked at the blue one in mild irritation. She could do without his hysterics.

"Carla, are you sure about this?" Wendy asked nervously from behind her exceed. Carla didn't answer, only pushing a wrapped-up box forward. Happy's heart could've jumped out of his chest. She got a present for him.

He dropped the fish he was holding to run to the box, eagerly tearing the red ribbon and white paper off.

"You got me a tea set, Carla?" Happy gasped, his eyes glowing when he saw the side of the box.

"Not exactly. I gave Wendy the tea set. This is the box."

Wendy glanced at her cat again, still not sure about this gift. But Happy was ecstatic.

"Carla, you're as amazing as you are beautiful!" Happy proclaimed. He eagerly opened the top of the box and leapt inside. After a brief moment, he poked his head out so that only his eyes and ears could be seen as he gave a relaxed sigh. He was in heaven.

Carla glanced back at Wendy with a smile as if to say 'told you so'.

-.-

Gajeel marched off the stage, his guitar in hand. As he went back to the dining area, he spotted a familiar girl waiting for him. Her cheeks were flushed with a smile stretched across her cheeks.

"What the hell's up with that look?" Gajeel asked Levy gruffly, taking a seat at the table. She held up a paper bag, setting it down in front of him. She tilted the bag just a little so he could see the giant book inside.

"First Edition Galdrabók," she said. "One of a kind spell book."

"Congratulations," Gajeel said dismissively, grabbing a fork to eat.

"A little birdy told me that a certain someone traveled across Fiore to get this."

"Yeah? Well that birdy needs to double check his information."

Gajeel began munching on the fork. Iron Dragon Slayer meant he could eat metal. He had just finished devouring it when he realized Levy had tears in her eyes and a grin spanning from ear to ear.

"What the hell are you crying for?"

-.-

Elfman kept glancing to the other side of the guild. The Thunder Legion was also back for Christmas. Freed didn't really get a Christmas themed outfit but, considering his great coat was already a shade of red, the fur that lined its collar was that was needed. The elf hat, Bickslow's idea, made the outfit complete. All of Bickslow's babies were wearing tiny Santa hats and white beards.

"How do I look?" Bickslow cackled as he put on a white beard.

"Ridiculous," Freed answered.

But it wasn't Freed or Bickslow Elfman was looking at. And it seems like she was looking back at him.

Giving a sigh, he made his way across the guild hall. Seeing him move, Evergreen decided to meet him halfway.

"I have something to tell you," they both said at the same time.

"Hold on, let me go first" Elfman said. "A man knows when to admit he's wrong. I'm sorry about some of the things I said about you. The Battle of Fairy Tail is in the past and a man should never hold onto a grudge like that."

Evergreen gave a weak smile at this statement.

"But I don't think you were wrong," she said. "I can be a bit too ambitious to know what matters." They both feel silent, neither of them sure how to respond. "Why did you decide to apologize?" Evergreen finally asked.

"Because a real man knows what's most important in his life and…" Elfman practically choked. He really didn't want to say it. Fortunately he didn't need to. Evergreen got the message.

"How 'bout we both forget what we said about each other and try to enjoy the holidays together?" she suggested.

She held out her hand. After a moment he took it. She was right. They should just enjoy the holidays together.

-.-

Laxus snorted in amusement as he watched Elfman and Evergreen walk off hand in hand.

"Well at least those two seem to be enjoying themselves," he remarked, leaning back against the bar counter. Mira was working behind the counter, wiping off the glossy surface.

"I think they make a great couple," she remarked. Laxus gave her a confused look at this comment.

"Weren't you the one crying when you had to picture them having children?" he asked.

"Well, maybe I've decided it wouldn't be that bad. Hey, maybe they can make you the god father."

"Pass."

Laxus just rolled his eyes at this. If Evergreen gets pregnant that means a member of the Thunder Legion would be out of commission for a bit.

"Laxus, what do you have there?" Mira asked, noticing something in his hands. Laxus slid forward a pair of tickets. His face may have been stiff but Mira's melted at the sight.

"Heard they're having a firework show at Akane Resort," Laxus explained. "I remembered how much you loved fireworks so I got you a ticket." Mira walked around the counter so she could stand beside Laxus. He said he bought _a_ ticket but she could clearly see two on the counter. And he wasn't trying to hide it either. She knew what he was asking.

"I'll go if you go with me," she said with a smile, grabbing him by his hand. He could only give her a bewildered stare at her behavior. "You haven't given me that look in a while," Mira remarked with a smile at his awkward expression. After a moment, he finally gave a chuckle

"I guess I haven't," Laxus snorted with a slight smile. "It'll be my pleasure to go with you." Immediately, Mira giggled gleefully and jumped into his arms, causing the blonde to recoil in shock. "Alright, that doesn't mean you have to get so grabby!" he protested as Mirajane held him tight.

-.-

Visiting a grave wasn't a people normally spend their Christmas, but Natsu was out of ideas. He needed inspiration and this little spot in the East Forest was the only thing he could think of. Besides, the person wasn't even dead. But even as he stood before the stone grave he had handmade and the straw hut that had defied the elements and still stood strong, he couldn't think of anything.

"Gah, this sucks!" he exclaimed, practically yanking his hair. "It's already Christmas and I still can't think of anything!"

"Natsu?"

Natsu froze when he heard his name called. He had expected to be alone. He didn't expect Lisanna to be standing behind him.

"Natsu, what're you doing out here?" she asked. The pink-haired dragon slayer could only stutter, not sure how to respond. Finally, he let out a groan. He might as well be honest with her.

"I was trying to think of what to get you for Christmas," he said. Lisanna could not help but smile as these words left his mouth. It reminded her of the good old days with Natsu just getting embarrassed in front of her while trying to do something for her.

"So why'd you come out here then?" she asked. Natsu could only shrug. He didn't really think this entire thing through.

"I guess I was hoping that if I thought about the good old days then something would come to me," he said. "You know, back when we used to always hang out?" But, as he said this, his face suddenly sagged.

The good old days…

They suddenly seemed like a distant memory. They both remembered the joy they felt when they saw each other again after returning from Edolas. Now, they didn't spend nearly as much time together. They both knew it. They were both afraid to confront it. They were both afraid of the answer they would get.

"Natsu…" Lisanna breathed. She was afraid of the answer but she wanted it anyways. "Why is it we don't really talk anymore?"

"You've been gone for two years, Lisanna," Natsu said. "That's two years away from your brother and sister. I figured you would want to be with them most of all. They are your family."

Hearing this, Lisanna reached forward and gently took his hand.

"Natsu, you're my family too." Feeling her hand in his, he reached forward and took the other. Guess she owed him an explanation too. "It was just that I saw how close the Natsu and Lucy in Edolas were, then I saw how close you and Lucy were here…" Lisanna glanced to the ground. If she had died she would want Natsu to move on. But she hadn't died and it seemed like she had been left behind.

But then Natsu leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers.

"You don't have anything to worry about," he said. "Lucy's like a sister to me. Besides…" He let go of her and took a step back. "I gotta take care of my wife and son, right?" Natsu gave a wide smile and a thumbs up as Lisanna just stared at him in shock. Finally her look of shocked dissolved into a smile. What happened with the anima had always felt like a curse, separating her from her family and tearing her away from Natsu. Joy flooded her body now that she knew she could continue her life the way she left it.

Natsu looked up at the setting sun. "Of course I still need to think of a Christmas present to get you." He looked down in mild surprise when he felt Lisanna wrap her arms around his.

"I'm back with you," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "I have everything I could ever want."

"You know," Natsu remarked. "It's too late to enjoy the sunrise so you wanna just sit and enjoy the sun set?" He didn't need to hear her answer to know what she would say. They both sat down in the snow and looked up at the setting sun. "I found you again, Lisanna. I'll always find you."

-.-

It was night by the time Erza made it back to Fairy Hills. She was partied out. As she approached her room, she froze. Everyone was still partying at the guild hall so the entire building was quieter than the dead. But, she could hear someone rustling in her room. There was a brief flash of light as she quickly requipped a sword into her hand. If there was an intruder in her room then he picked the wrong room to rob from.

With a triumphant yell, she burst into the room, sword high above her head. She could already see the figure crouching in front of her couch. The figure froze the moment Erza burst into the room, stunned by the red-head's sudden entrance. But as she saw who it was standing in the dark, her will to fight drained from her body. Her sword fell to the ground with a clatter.

"Jellal…" she breathed when he saw the man's face. He looked to the side in embarrassment.

"I am sorry," he said, swiftly moving from the door. But as he began to walk past, he felt a hand grab his arm.

"You don't have to go," she said, not moving from her position.

"I came by to drop off a present," he said. "I have overstayed my welcome." Erza could not help but chuckle at this explanation.

"Breaking and entering?" she said with a small laugh.

"Well, I am a criminal," Jellal Fernandez pointed out with a chuckle. He tried to walk again but Erza did not loosen her grip. "Erza, you know I cannot do this." Finally, they both turned to face each other.

"Do you remember our first Christmas together?" she asked. Jellal raised an eyebrow at this question.

"That was when we were children in the Tower of Heaven," he said. "I would hardly call it a fond memory."

"We never got a single chance to spend time and enjoy the moment," she said. "Even after we were both free of that prison, we are too busy with our lives that we can't have a moment for each other. Can we have it? Just this once?"

Jellal stared at the front door. Erza knew if he truly wanted to leave, she could not stop him. He slowly raised a hand and placed it on the door, pausing as he considered her words. Finally, with a sigh, he gently pushed the door closed. With the door shut they wrapped their arms around each other. No words were said. None were needed. There was nothing they could say that the other didn't know.

-.-

The soft crunch of metal sliding across ice echoed through the night at the park. Lucy was humming cheerfully as she slid across the frozen lake, her new ice skates leaving lines in the frozen surface. Beside her, the little dog 'Plu' was skating around with her.

"What do you think Plu?" she asked as she circled around the edge of the lake. "Mission accomplished?" She snickered at the thought of how all her hard work had paid off. "Mirajane isn't the only shipper around here. There's no one in the guild that knows what Levy likes to read better than me. All I needed to do was drop the slip of paper with its name right in front of him." Lucy snickered at the expressions she imagined Gajeel and Levy would have.

"And Laxus is a pretty bad liar. He said he didn't plan on doing anything with the tickets I got to Akane but he still took both of them. I really hope he and Mira get back together." She remembered when Laxus took the tickets, he seemed confused. He insisted that he didn't really plan on doing anything with anyone on Christmas, least of all Mirajane. But, when Lucy threatened to throw them both away, he took them. It was a massive chunk out of her rent money but if she could get the two S-Class mages back together, it would be worth it.

"You think Natsu ever figured out what to get Lisanna?" Lucy asked Plu. "That idiot wouldn't know romance if it bit him in the butt. How obvious does a girl have to make it to show she likes you?" Lucy had deciphered her best friend pretty well. Natsu wasn't the gift-giving type. But, he wasn't the thinking type either so getting him and Lisanna to spend Christmas together was really easy for her.

"Helping Juvia making that coat wasn't easy," Lucy said to herself. "I was worried that we'd get the size wrong but apparently she knows ALL his dimensions." Lucy shivered at the thought.

Lucy circled around but as she shifted her weight, she nearly toppled over. After a moment of flailing, she finally straightened back up. She gave a nostalgic chuckle at her blunder.

"Mom said she would teach me how to ice skate," she said with a weak smile. It was always her dream as a child to ice skate with someone like a princess in the old stories, skating with her prince.

There was a squeak as the tiny snowman-creature also fell over, sliding across the ice on his belly.

"Aw, you have trouble skating too, Plu?' Lucy giggled, getting back to her feet. Plu didn't bother getting back up. He just slid across the icy surface on his stomach.

She was about to try again when she saw a hand lower in front of her.

"Need a hand?" a familiar voice asked. Lucy looked up in front of her, stunned by who she saw looking back.

"Loke?" she gaped. "What are you doing here?

"It's my policy that no beautiful princess should be alone for Christmas," he said with a wink. But, Lucy was not returning his affections.

"Virgo calling me 'princess' is one thing but it's not the same coming from you," she groaned. Behind her she could hear Plu chirping happily at Loke's arrival. "Still…" she added, looking at the ground. "Hey, Loke…you think you could teach me how to ice skate?"

The celestial spirit gave a smile and a bow.

"It would be my pleasure, beautiful," he said. She gently took his hand as Loke slowly guided her across the ice.

-.-

Quiet Christmas music was playing in Juvia's room as she sat back on her bed. It certainly has been an eventful day. She had gotten up early so she could sneak Gray's gift under the tree but now she could sit back and relax. She had just gotten comfortable when there was a gentle knock at the door.

She sat up, wondering who it could possibly be. She got up and went to the door, trying to figure out who would want to see her. Her white face turned red when she saw who it was.

"Gray…" she squeaked nervously. The ice mage stood there with his hands in his pockets, looking away from her. It seemed impossible but it seemed he was as nervous as she was.

"Juvia…mind if I…come in?" he asked. Juvia's heart could've launched from her chest like a rocket.

"Of course, my darling!" she squealed eagerly. But the moment those words left her mouth she stopped and cleared her throat. "I mean…of course."

She stepped back so Gray could let himself in. It was only once he was inside she went from red to paper white when she realized her entire room was filled with Gray-items. Gray pillows. Gray blankets. Gray banners.

Gray's eyes bulged from his face when he saw it all. It wasn't too late to bolt.

No.

He had to do this. He cleared his throat and walked in. He would stomach this. He walked into the room. He could already see Juvia sweating bullets from his presence. It looked like a bottle ready to explode from the pressure of not showering him in roses.

"Gray," she said, tapping her fingers together nervously. "I would like to apologize."

"It's fine," Gray said, leaning against the wall. "I read your note."

Juvia gave another sigh. Gray could tell she was doing everything in her power not to just tackle him out of joy that he was standing in her room. The girl may have been a few fries short of a happy meal but there was no doubt in his mind that she really did care.

"Gray, I promise my new year's resolution is to be a different Juvia!" she said adamantly. Gray maintained his stare out the window, watching the snow fall from the sky. "I will stop following your every move! I'll stop showering you in stupid gifts! I'll stop-"

"Juvia," he finally interrupted, cutting her babbling short. He could feel her eyes boring into him. He just glanced back at her with a smile on his face. "I hear they're going to put on a fireworks show in a few hours. I know a really steep hill in the park that we can watch it from. It's not a bad place to sled either."

Juvia felt all the blood flush to her face as what just happened slowly dawned on her. If this was a dream, then she did not want to wake up. So many have come and gone that she feared that he would be just another name and memory for her. She wanted to cling to him and hold on as tight as she could, afraid that time would take him away like everyone else. She wanted to tell him all this. But, looking at his face, something told her that he already knew.

Juvia closed her eyes. She cleared her throat. Then she spoke.

"I would love to, Gray."


End file.
